Livestream Expansion Dieppe’s Virtual Award Banquet, Order Your Favourite Takeout
DIEPPE – Expansion Dieppe, the economic development arm of the City of Dieppe, is hosting its annual award banquet virtually this year. Registration is also free for those who want to attend.
The banquet was initially scheduled to take place in March, but it was cancelled due to Covid-19 restrictions. Instead, it will now take place virtually on Thursday, June 25.
“Our banquet is there to highlight deserving businesses in our city and celebrate their achievements so they’re known by their peers and other entrepreneurs. We’re there to give them hope in these difficult times, so we’re trying to do as much as we can stimulate that,” said Louis Godbout, executive director of Expansion Dieppe. “We thought it would maybe be a good idea to have a little morale booster for our business community.”
There will be four prizes awarded to businesses, including Emerging Business, Service Business Excellence, Business Excellence and My Choice, for which the public can vote online.
The finalists, revealed in February, include Advocate Printing, CAVOK Brewing Co., Bennic Dairy Bar, Dieppe Imaging, EXIT Realty Associates, Wingate Dieppe Hotel & Convention Centre, Max Health Institute and Physiotherapy (Dieppe Blvd.), Malley Industries and Proterapy Orthotics.
Expansion Dieppe also wants to use the event as an opportunity to support local businesses in other ways. During registration, attendees will be asked to mention a business that has impressed them with their response to the COVID-19 crisis. They can then be recognized during the event.
Additionally, the organizers are encouraging attendees to order food and beverages from establishments in town.
Businesses that have not been affected by Covid-19 can also donate into a fund that will be used to buy gift cards from businesses that are affected. The gift cards will then be drawn as gifts for attendees.
The event is produced in collaboration with Productions L’Entrepot and NuFocus Group. It will include a stand-up comedian as MC, as well as improv and music performances.
“It’s like a live concert that we will have the finalists in virtual backstages, and they will be coming online as required,” Godbout said. “We’re going to have the awards presented and we’re going to work right now on how we’re going to be doing that drum-roll for each of the prizes…we’re also working with all of the finalists that they will be with their group at one location and we will be able to see their reaction.”
He said the work that went to putting the event before Covid-19 restrictions were put in place had already cost the organization. The virtual version won’t make up for the loss of around $25,000 to $30,000, but “at least we’re getting something out of it,” Godbout said.
Because it’s the first such event Expansion Dieppe is hosting virtually, it was difficult to gauge the real value of a ticket. So, they decided to make it free to attend.